Magnitude 5.3 earthquake damages road, disrupts classes in Davao de Oro
DAVAO ORIENTAL, Philippines – A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook Davao de Oro at 4:43 am on Monday, March 6, damaging a section of a national road and prompting its closure.
The road serves as a link between the municipalities of Maragusan and New Bataan.
The temblor and subsequent aftershocks came as Davao de Oro started to celebrate the Bulawan Festival and the province’s 25th founding anniversary, which will run until Wednesday, March 8.
The festival opened in Nabunturan, the province’s capital town, amid the seismic activities.
“I am at the capitol now with the governor, and the mood here is festive even though we are being jolted by a series of quakes,” Noel Duarte, the provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Davao de Oro, told Rappler.
Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga suspended classes in public and private schools in the province.
She also ordered all mayors in Davao de Oro to check infrastructure in their areas to determine the extent of the damage.
As of early Monday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology had recorded over a dozen aftershocks.
“Aftershocks are continuous, and buildings and structures shall be inspected to ensure the safety of students,” said Vice Governor Tyron Uy on his social media page.
Duarte said only classes in schools were suspended by Gonzaga, and all work in government and private offices in the province continue as usual. – Rappler.com
Ferdinand Zuasola is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.